Win fabulous three-day Premium tickets to Cambridge Club Festival – and see Lionel Richie, Grace Jones and Sophie Ellis Bexter

A festival that promises feel-good music, happy vibes and a beautiful setting in the dappled shade of an orchard is certainly a date for any music-lover’s diary.

The Cambridge Club Festival returns to Childerley Orchard on Friday, June 9 to Sunday, June 11, with a stunning line-up of three groove-friendly headliners - Lionel Richie, Grace Jones and Kool and the Gang. They are supported by Billy Ocean, Alexander O’Neal and Sophie Ellis Bexter and many other acts during the course of the weekend.

The festival is the brainchild of three friends who already ran an urban music event but were persuaded by their mums to create something a bit more family friendly.

And the result has been a festival that brings together some of the best names in soul and disco, together with top DJs, well-known comedians and a packed family programme that includes a set from Children’s TV presenters Dick and Dom.

Sam Mellor, one of the festival’s founders, said: “A really unique thing about the festival is the setting, with the beautiful apple orchard lending the site lots of character with loads of spaces to explore. Unlike lots of other festivals, it’s not just a big field.

“We decided to make even more of the location this year so we have taken over more of the orchard and located our Discovery Den there, which is our dance stage, and I think that will create a really lovely atmosphere between the trees. We have also got the comedy stage and the family entertainment in the orchard. Meanwhile the main stage is in the main field along with bars and traders and we hope people will take some time to discover the whole site.

“We are obviously absolutely thrilled to hve Lionel Richie healdining this year as he was unable to come because of the Covid situation last year. Grace Jones is another big name we have wanted for the festival because she is such a cultural icon, and then Kool and the Gang headlining on Sunday will be brilliant as everyone know their hits plus we have Billy Ocean supporting, who really could be a headliner in his own right.

“I’m looking forward to the great DJs with Fat Tony and Jodie Harsh in the Discovery Den, which was a bit of a revelation last year. And we think people will love Bongo’s Bingo, which is basically a bingo game mixed with kind of a rave. They have been all over the country and it’s been really popular.”

They have deliberately aimed to create a festival that will make people want to get up and dance.

Sam says: “Our feelgood philosophy and the way we attract people of all ages is something that always strikes me as really positive. The atmosphere is very positive and good natured, it’s a very friendly festival, which I know some other festivals are too. But I think our music policy is quite unique. I think that we’ve really found a groove with that because it does appeal to young people as well as older people and a lot of these big tunes kind of came out in the 70s and 80s that they’ve gone full circle and lasted the test of time and you hear younger DJs playing them in nightclubs these days.

“We want to focus on feel good tunes, basically, but nothing cheesy. It has to hit that nice balance between dance music and pop music.”

Taking to the main stage on Friday night will be R&B legend Alexander O’Neal. With 10 studio albums and 14 top 40 UK singles, O’Neal is sure to get the audience dancing as the support for the fearless Grace Jones. Hailing from Liverpool, The Real Thing will bring their 45 years of iconic performances to the main stage of The Cambridge Club on Saturday night. As Britain’s longest-established black group in UK entertainment history, The Real Thing achieved five top 10 hits and have cemented themselves as icons in music industry, supporting four-time Grammy winner Lionel Richie on the Saturday night.

Further acts on the main stage include disco royalty Kool & The Gang, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Billy Ocean to bring their greatest hits and get the crowd on their feet. The nation’s favourite DJs Jo Whiley, Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club and Odyssey will perform their anthem-fuelled sets alongside the UK’s premier Disco tributes act Uncle Funk’s Disco Inferno, Jazz FM’s Soul Artist of the Year Mica Millar and R&B legend Lemar. At the comedy stage the headliners are Ed Byrne and Andrew Maxwell.

After the headline acts have left the stage and the night beckons, campers/glampers can join top DJs at the Party-Time Continuum stage, an after dark area for weekend campers, nestled in the apple orchard.

The decks will spin from day through night, with an array of world-class DJs including Eats Everything, Fat Tony, Dan Shake and Jodie Harsh – as well as Bongo’s Bingo and a special Dick & Dom rave set.

Festival-goers can now park at the site, even if they are not camping, as an extra field has been put aside as a carpark. There will also be shuttle buses from Cambridge North station.

Premium tickets allow access to The Paddock, an exclusive space with a stage view and cocktail bar.

This new space has been created for people to be able to get a great view of the stage from a garden area which will have plenty of seating and be well served by bars and delicious food stands.

And for those people who want the most luxurious festival experience, they can indulge in The Clubhouse with hospitality tickets – including complimentary gourmet food and drink, a private garden and stage view.

It’s not just music on the menu at The Cambridge Club, as the programme of entertainment also includes the comedy and discussion area Auditorium of Intrigue, hosting hilarious comedians and talks.

There are Groovy Goings-On across the site providing varied entertainment acts, including Disco Dodgems, Cham-painting, Boogie Bowling, Judy’s Vintage Fair, Axe-throwing, Retro Arcade and much more. For the kids the festival has The Imagination Station, hosting Dick & Dom and The Rainbow Collection, alongside Camp Cambridge with arts & crafts, sing-a-longs and games.

You can browse and buy all the different ticket options online at thecambridgeclub.co/.

Win two pairs of Weekend Premium tickets to the Cambridge Club Festival.

We have two pairs of Weekend Premium tickets to the Cambridge Club Festival – worth XXX each!

The winners will be able to enjoy the whole three-day event from the comfort of The Paddock, an exclusive space with a stage view, plenty of seating and cocktail bar.

Visit cambridgeindependent.co.uk/entercomps/ and complete the form, using the competition name ‘Cambridge Club’.

Answer the question: Name one of this year’s three headliners of the Cambridge Club Festival.

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